Among various developed technologies, DLNA or ZigBee is focused on discovery and use of services of devices in a specific PAN and tethering technology places emphasis on connection between heterogeneous networks.
A CPNS different from the simple PAN has been proposed.
The CPNS enables devices to belong to a PN (Personal network) (or PAN (Personal Area Network)) to be provided with various services.
The CPNS is implemented through a CPNS server, a CPNS gateway, and a device supporting the CPNS. In addition, a general server, general devices, etc. may be present for the CPNS.
The CPNS is based on a personal network corresponding to a group of devices. The CPNS gateway is located in the PN and services of the devices are registered in the CPNS server through the CPNS gateway such that a device providing a predetermined service can be discovered through the CPNS server and an external entity can share the service provided by the device on the basis of the discovery.
The CPNS gateway connects the PN (also called a gateway (GW)) to another network. The CPNS device is also called a PNE (Personal Network Entity) and is a member of the PN. A plurality of devices may be grouped to form a PNE or a single device may be a PNE.
FIG. 1 illustrates the concept of the CPNS.
Referring to FIG. 1, a general server, a CPNS server, a CPNS gateway, a CPNS device and a general device are shown.
The CPNS server can communicate with one or more CPNS gateways (that is, PN gateways) and transmit/receive data. The CPNS server can communicate with one or more CPNS devices in a PN (or PNA) through the CPNS gateway to exchange data with the CPNS devices.
Each CPNS device can transmit/receive data to/from one or more other CPNS devices or general devices through the CPNS gateway.
The CPNS gateway can communicate with the CPNS server, a CPNS gateway belonging to a different PN, or the CPNS device to transmit/receive data.
The CPNS server can communicate with general servers and the CPNS gateway to transmit/receive data.
For example, the CPNS server and the CPNS gateway can communicate with each other using a cellular network and the CPNS gateway and the CPNS device can communicate with each other using short range communication, for example, Bluetooth, NFC, ZigBee, WiFi, etc.
The CPNS server administrates and controls communication between the CPNS gateway and the CPNS device, and thus applications and information are exchanged between the CPNS gateway and the CPNS device, increasing user convenience. For example, according to the configuration of FIG. 1, a user can acquire position information using an arbitrary CPNS device from another CPNS device (e.g. GPS), transmit the position information to the CPNS server through the CPNS gateway and be provided with a location based service from the CPNS server.
Accordingly, the user can be provided with various services through a plurality of CPNS devices that belong to the PN.